Wood Bits
by ren-ta-chan
Summary: [ Sasori x Sakura ] A puppeteer needs to control the strings of the puppet for the show to go on.
1. Deal

Wood Bits

Summary : A puppeteer needs a puppet for the show to go on. Human with emotions and... Defiant.

Disclaimer :I do not own Naruto and it's characters.

A/N : Enjoy (: Gaara will not die. Somehow.

Warnings : Sexual implications. Language.

&.

She gasped for breath as she held her hand above his heart. A gloved hand stop her.

"Chiyo-baa-sama! That's enough!" The pink-haired kunoichi cried out and laid her down on the ground carefully.

Chiyo softened her eyes and said, "Do you know why I created this jutsu? I had wanted to bring Sasori's parents back to life, just to see  
him happy. He had left before I could use the jutsu, but now, I have finally found the chance to use it. To give Sasori a second chance at life... A life for a life and I am willing to give up mine for him..." She chuckled weakly, "I am getting old anyway."

She smiled and whispered her last sentence, "Promise me that you will take good care of him Sakura."

Sakura nodded and sniffed, holding Chiyo's hand tightly.

"Heh." Her head jerked up at the voice.

Sasori smirked as he reached up a hand to touch his chest. He cocked his head curiously, "Well well, it seems I'm human once more."

He spread out his fingers, letting chakra flow out of it, making chakra strings. "It sure is good to feel chakra pulsing through my fingers  
again."

Sakura frowned and inquired, "I thought you would feel disappointed at losing your wooden body... What gives?"

Sasori let out a laugh, and she shivered at the evilness behind it.

"There are many things a wooden body cannot do what a real body can. I have craved to eat for many years but what was the use? I could not taste nor did I ever feel hungry. Yet, there would always be a time, for a need to have food running down my throat and digesting properly as a body should. This time, I will not make the same mistake again."

He paused and quirked up the corner of his lips before continuing, "There were also some other _wants_ that I could not fulfill."

She cringed at the implication.

He shook his head as he looked at the remains of his puppets.

"It seems you've destroyed my collection."

He sighed, acting hurt.

"Pity, they were my favourite too. I guess I would have to make do with Chiyo-baa."

Sakura stared at him with horror and revulsion.

"You would turn even HER into a puppet?" She asked, outrageously and most of all, disgusted.

"Why not? It would be a waste if it was just buried under soil."

She stood up, shakily, still hurt and sore from her wounds and aimed a punch at him angrily.

He caught it easily and grinned, chastising her, "You're going to die of chakra depletion if you do not stop this foolishness _Sakura_."

She struggled, trying to wrench her fist from his grip but weakly used her other hand to try and hit him. If she had not been exhausted, he might have hit the wall behind him hard. Sasori grabbed her other hand and binded her wrists with his chakra strings.

He tutted.

"I want you conscious and not on the verge of death when I say this Sakura."

He smiled deviously and murmured, "I am in dire need of a puppet and you know it. If you do not want me to use Chiyo-baa, perhaps we  
can strike a deal."

The pink-haired kunoichi stopped her struggling, confusion clear in her green eyes.

"If you want Chiyo-baa to have a proper burial, in exchange, you shall become my puppet instead... A fine deal is it not?"

He let go of her and watched as she slid to the ground.

"You wouldn't become a wooden one, if that's what you're wondering."

'What should I do? It would seem so selfish of me to let Chiyo-baa-sama get turned into a puppet... And... What did he mean that I would  
not become a wooden puppet if I chose to accept?' Sakura asked herself, getting lost in her thoughts.

She lost some of her defiance as she slumped, feeling defeated.

Sasori smiled once more when she asked, "What do you mean by not becoming a wooden puppet?"

"I thought you would ask that. Dead puppets are no fun to play with. An alive human puppet gives far more entertainment because they  
have... Emotions."

"No skinning me alive? Tearing my guts out?" She enquired fearfully.

He teased, "You are far more precious than that."

She flushed and clenched her fist. No matter, she would not go down without a fight. She was Haruno Sakura after all.

"Deal."

She flinched at the wicked gaze he gave her.

_ Rest in peace, Chiyo-baa-sama._

"A very good choice Sakura. Hmm... I wonder... Since you're my puppet now, I guess I can call you Sakura-chan right?" Sasori asked, mockingly while moving his fingers to attach chakra strings on parts of her body.

He flexed his hand, testing, and her limbs twitched.

_ And then he started the show..._

"Dance for me Sakura." She closed her eyes, trying not to cry at the humilation and the amused eyes staring at her. She let go of her control of her body and allowed the chakra strings to guide her.

'Even if I am guiding her to dance, she managed to pull it off gracefully...' He eyed her movements, entranced and finished his thought, 'No one would think such a creature like her would have been capable of the strength she possesses.'

&.

He showered her with gifts, expensive pretty trinkets, clothes and would have gave her anything she asked for.

She was his puppet.

She was the most prized puppet among the other 'puppets(1)' he had collected along the way.

The problem was, she never asked for anything.

The problem was, she didn't want to be his puppet.

She didn't care if she was his most prized. She had no choice. She didn't want Chiyo-baa-sama to be used in such a way after she had so  
graciously gave up her life for him.

She was human with emotions and she was defiant.

&.

He was frustrated to no end. The necklaces he put on her neck, she would wrench it away and throw it back at him, the clothes he gave  
her, she would throw it to the other side of the room.

He scowled as she held another gift he had brought for her in her hands, ready to throw it.

"What ever do you want? Gifts I bestow you, you deny. This will never end," He said softly, keeping his anger in check.

"Freedom," She had pleaded so simply.

He shook his head.

"You know I cannot."

"Then at least my chakra back!"

His eyes darkened. "I am not that foolish. You know what had happened when I did."

She backed down and lowered her face, feeling regretful of betraying his trust for her that day...

He touched her hair gently and pushed her back onto the bed. He stared at her eyes, the eyes he had come to love so much because of the  
emotions they showed.

Hints of fear, regret, sadness and anger.

He pushed himself off of her, realising he had caused her to feel that way. Something wrenched within him.

He schooled his features under a mask and said coldly, "Get ready for dinner."

She quivered at his tone.

She was a puppet.

She was a ninja without chakra.

But...

She was still a human with emotions and she was defiant.

&.

(1) - Well... Powerful enemies he killed to use as puppets.

Sorry if there are any mistakes with grammar and all that . Just wanted to get this chapter up.

There needs to be more Sasori x Sakura fics... Naruto and co. will be coming in the next chapter (:

Review?


	2. Freedom

Wood Bits

Summary : A puppeteer needs a puppet for the show to go on. Human with emotions and... Defiant.

Disclaimer :I do not own Naruto and it's characters.

A/N : I'll try to make it long! I've decided to continue the Sasori and Sakura interaction before Naruto & co. first! Sorry!

Warnings : Sexual implications. Language.

&.

The blank stare he gave her was unnerving... Wasn't he human now? Seriously, what was with the face? Well ok... It WAS her fault. Throwing the latest gift he brought her to the corner of the room... Once again.

"Sakura, Sakura, Sakura..." Sasori chastised softly as he trailed his hand across her right arm.

"Is it so hard just to please you?" He questioned gently before gripping her arm tightly.

"I tire of this. I may have been lenient, perhaps, too lenient about your behaviour," He paused to shift his hand under her chin and tilting her head up for her eyes to meet his before continuing, "If this continues... I may take harsher actions on you. I do not like to harm my puppets." She lowered her eyes but kept the emotions within with defiance.

The place he kept her was comfortable, built traditionally, and it had a beautiful garden. The walls that surrounded the place was huge, a wonder how the smaller plants managed to survive without much sunlight(as well as being blocked by the big trees). It wasn't that dark either, and it had lanterns hanging on branches of trees or floating in the big pond. The pond might as well have been a lake, with a bridge built to get across in the middle of it. The bridge had a basket built on the railing in the center that contained small torn up pieces of bread to feed the school of fishes living in the lake.

Overall, the place had a shield placed over it. The chakra woven to make the barrier was strong, as it never seemed to have wavered. She sat under a tree that was beside the lake, and from time to time, would let her hands softly run through the clear water.

She felt weak. Without her chakra, she was basically defenseless. He knew, that even a small amount of chakra that he would allow her, would be deadly. She had perfect chakra control after all, meaning that she would be able to use it to it's fullest potential. She stood up, and immediately, a servant came to hand her a towel to wipe her hands with.

A few years back, when she was still chasing after _him_... She might have loved this attention showered upon her. Heck, she might even envision it being_ him_ that was treating her like that.

Sakura sighed quietly and followed the servant back to the house.

&.

Her breathing was erratic and harsh.

"How did this happen?" It was a simple question, yet, the way Sasori had delivered it was enough to make anyone's knees buckle. The servant backed away from him, stammering apologies.

He sighed. '_The thing about being human is that you get sick too easily_.'

"Leave."

The servant didn't need to be told twice and abruptly broke into a run to get away from the Akatsuki member.

Sakura opened her eyes and stared at Sasori before murmuring, "It's sad isn't it? A medic-nin who can't even heal herself."

"..."

"... If you stop resisting, if you stop disobeying and listen to my rules, then perhaps, maybe there is freedom for you yet."

"W-Wha-?"

"I will release your chakra points to heal yourself. In return, you do not escape when you are allowed outside and obey my orders, a rather good bargain, is it not?" She looked away and clenched her fists.

"Yes, a rather good bargain," She agreed while gritting her teeth. His lips curved up into a mischievous smile.

"Well then, perhaps a kiss on the lips to seal it?"

Sakura glared at him and angrily said, "It's bad enough that I agreed on your exchange! But a kiss?! You must be kidding me!"

He pinned her onto her bed when she had decided to stand up during her rant and replied, "I do not kid, my puppet. I control the strings here and I only offer once. Agree to it, be a good little puppet and freedom will be yours." It was getting irritating, the way he knew how to manipulate. The way he knew how to make offers tempting.

She closed her eyes, resigned, and leaned in to give him a chaste kiss on the lips. He smirked and petted her on her head when a furious blush spread across her cheeks, "There, there. Now that wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Hmph!"

&.

Sasori, had indeed, given her freedom. Also, he stood by her side following her like a hawk. She shrugged inwardly, '_A small price to pay for freedom._'

"Where is this place?" She asked the red-head following her.

"A place where people come to forget. A place where everyone accepts you, be it a missing-nin or a wanted criminal. About every different nin from all over the lands are here," He answered easily and continued, "Many types of people have houses here because this place is very prosperous. The housings, as you can see, are all rich because trade is very easy as this place is a neutral ground for everybody."

Sakura nodded. It was logical and it made sense to set up a place here to trade, rather than going back and forth.

"So that would mean..."

"Yes, the Akatsuki operates this place."

'_No wonder everyone seems to keep an open path for us. He donned the Akatsuki cloak for this reason... Otherwise, we would have had a hard time walking through the place._'

"That also means that each Akatsuki member has a house here?"

He inclined his head in assent, "Correct."

"Then how is it that no one who hunts to kill the Akatsuki has found out about this place?"

"This place is under a jutsu. If you want to find it, you can see it. Also, if the person is attempting to sell this place out to someone who would harm us, the jutsu will be evoked and causes that person to commit suicide. The jutsu commences as soon as you enter the place."

Her eyes widened. "An invisible contract?"

He inclined his head once more.

"To make a jutsu like this... It must have taken huge amounts of chakra!"

'_Also... It is possible that the jutsu must be renewed... And when that day comes, Sasori will be at his most vulnerable, tired from using his chakra to renew the jutsu. That is the day, when I will finally escape!_'

Somehow, it didn't seem right to think like this.


End file.
